He concluded by applying to the court for a restraining order to protect Ms Morse and her children.

Lydia Etheridge, defending, said Mr Rawlings had given Ms Morse the £2,000 ring the previous week, adding: “They had agreed to get married, so it was an engagement ring.”

She told magistrates that her client had forbidden Ms Morse to see certain “troublesome” members of her family and went on: “In order to progress the relationship, she agreed not to associate with them. But he had seen her on that day with those troublesome family members.”

Mr Rawlings was so angry that he wanted to take the ring back to the shop, where he could get a refund if he returned it within a specified time frame, said Ms Etheridge.

She said her client was working for Veolia at the Padworth Recycling Centre and added: “He has had a letter from his employer, Mark Bowers, which confirms he can return to that employment.

“We have no objection to the restraining order – he has no desire to ever see Ms Morse again now he has got his head straight.”

Magistrates jailed Mr Rawlings for 12 weeks and ordered him to pay a statutory victim services surcharge of £115.

They said the offence was aggravated because it was witnessed by the children.

In addition, they imposed a two-year restraining order preventing Mr Rawlings from contacting Ms Morse, either directly or indirectly, and from going to a specified address in Park Avenue, Thatcham.